Christmas Tree
by bludanzer
Summary: Cori's First time away from home and she's touring with connect three, will a fight change everything?


A tear slid down my cheek as I put the last ornament on the bare tree. My first Christmas on my own only my few ornaments covering my brand new 6 foot pre-lit umbrella tree. I walked over and plugged it in. The brightly colored lights making it seem less bare. I stood there and looked at my precious ornaments I'd collected over the years. Most where angels, than there was a few dancer ones and a few glittery snowflakes. It was nothing like mom's tree. Not enough bears, not enough presents under the tree. I had all the presents I was sending to people under the tree. None had come for me yet. I sighed, as I made sure, the tree was in a good spot and sat down on the couch across from the tree I soon fell asleep like I always used to just watching the lights flicker on and off. I awoke to the sun shining brightly in my face, and the engine humming under me. I sat up and looked around.  
Christmas on tour was a lot easier than it sounded.

I sat there all alone. And looked at my tree, I got up and turned off the lights on the tree. I usually share the bus but last night I asked them if I could have the bus to my self to do my Christmas tree. They said sure and spent the night in the boy's bus. The bus slowed to a stop as I went towards my bunk. I laid there and took out my phone and went to call my friend but fell asleep. I woke up gently to a soft hand on my shoulder. I looked at the hand than let my eyes wander up the arm til I met his eyes.

"Hey, the tree looks good" Shane said a soft smile appearing on his face.

"Thanks" I said as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. Shane sat on the floor next to my bunk as I sat up and looked at him.

"Have you been crying?" Shane asked. I wiped under my eyes and looked away. "Cori you have make up stains under your eyes why have you been crying," he said putting a hand on my chin and softly making  
me face him. I just shook my head, and wouldn't look him in the eyes. I didn't want to tell him. He wouldn't understand He'd never been threw it. Being away from your whole family for 4 months, now Christmas. I had always been with my mom setting up the Christmas tree.

"Shane it's just hard," I said quietly. He stood up than bent down to be eye level with me.

"I know it must be hard for you, being away from your family, but remember we are all your family here on tour" he said I just nodded as I felt my eyes fill with tears. I tried fighting them off, with no luck. I couldn't stop them, I looked into Shane's eyes, than got up and hugged him, and he held me close. And my tears started falling on his shirt. He rubbed my back. "Cori its ok" he said than kissed the top of my head. Shane was my caring over protective best friend. However, we only had really known each other for about four months. However, he was my crush, little to his knowledge. After about ten minutes, we pulled apart. I softly laughed at the tearstains he now had on his shirt as I wiped the tears from my eyes.

"I'm sorry about that Shane," I said. He just hugged me again.

"Its fine Cori just let it all out" he said, I just rested my head on his shoulder. He was perfect height for me to just lean on him. I relaxed and hugged him back. I than heard someone clear their throat we broke apart and I looked and saw the reason Shane and I could never be.

"Shane what in the Heck where you doing" I heard Violet say. Violet was Shane's girl friend, at the moment, they have been dating two months almost.

"Violet it was nothing I was just trying to comfort her she was crying" Shane said, and as he did, my heart broke and his voice echoed in my mind. '..It was nothing..'. He walked towards her and they both exited the bus. Tears wouldn't come to my eyes, they where to dry from all the crying.

"Cori what's wrong" I heard Nate's familiar voice ask, I turned around and there he was as soon as he saw my expression he came over. "Did Shane do something?" he asked as he put an arm around my shoulders. I didn't answer. It was Shane but I didn't want Nate to know. "What did he do?" Nate said moving in front of me and putting his hands on my shoulders. I just shook my head.

"Nothing that matters" I said my voice cracking. Nate hugged me.

"It matters Cori," he said as he pulled away.

"He didn't mean to but he just broke my heart," I mumbled.

"How?" Nate questioned.

"He said 'it was nothing' that trying to comfort me and kissing the top of my head was nothing" I said tears finally falling from my eyes.

"I'm sorry Cori" I heard Shane say from behind me. I turned to Shane than turned back to Nate. My tears started coming harder I didn't want Shane to know he hurt me. I quickly walked past Shane, not bothering to stop when he tried pulling me into a hug, I just pushed him away. I walked off the tour bus. I looked down at the snow that was on the ground. It was softly snowing as I kept walking towards the bathrooms on the other side of the parking lot. I suddenly felt something cold and wet hit me in the back of my knee causing me to fall and face plant in the snow. As I got up I heard laughter from behind me, I turned to see Jason and Frankie standing ten feet behind me. As soon as they saw my face, they stopped laughing.

"Cori what's wrong" Frankie asked as they both walked over to me, I shook my head,

"Nothing"

"She looks worse than Violet did" Frankie said. I looked at them odd,

"What's wrong with Violet?" I asked.

"Joe broke up with her because she was all butt hurt about him trying to make you feel better, plus they where already having issues, she wanted to go public and you know that that can end in disaster" Jason said. I just nodded remembering how the Tess thing blew up afterwards.

It's now Christmas Eve. It's been an interesting two weeks, I haven't talked to Shane much, I've been avoiding him. I have sent off all the gifts for my friends and family, and put all the gifts for everyone else under the main tree on the boy's tour bus. A lot of the crew is leaving home today but it's too far and I wouldn't get enough time with my family to go home so I'm staying here with the Band. I sat on the boy's bus, the snow had stopped falling and it was getting late I was the only one up still; I was going to be sleeping out here on the couch. As I laid down, I heard someone coming towards the front of the bus, Shane soon appeared in the soft light that was coming from the tree.

"Hi Cori can we talk" he asked quietly. I quickly thought there was nowhere else for me to go; I had no other choice but to say yes. I sat up and pulled my blanket around me.

"Sure Shane" I said. He grinned softly, and walked over and sat next to me on the couch.

"I know you've been avoiding me, but I wanted to say that I'm sorry I broke your heart, I really didn't mean to" he said looking at his feet. I wasn't sure what to say, I took in a deep breath and just let my thoughts come out

"Most people don't mean to break hearts. It just happens, and it hurts" I paused and looked at him, our eyes made contact, and I suddenly blurted out the question I wanted to hear straight from him. "Shane why did you break up with Violet, I thought everything was going great with you guys" he looked a bit taken back. He looked at me than the tree

"She was upset about me spending time with you, and about me trying to comfort you, plus she kept getting mad at me because she wanted to go public, and that's not going to happen. I was getting sick of it. So we called it quits," he said staring intently into the tree. Suddenly Shane looked at me, his eyes locking with mine. I was shocked, to be truthful, I wasn't expecting him to make eye contact with me with out me saying anything.

"Cori" he said softly

"Yeah" I said a small nervous smile appearing on my face, from the look he was giving me.

"Did you know you're under mistletoe?" he said smiling, and leaning closer. I quickly looked up and laughed I was.

"Only on this bus" I laughed as I looked back towards him, as I did our lips met. I smiled and felt my cheeks go bright red, we broke apart a few seconds later, and Shane smiled at me.

"Merry Christmas Cori" he said softly, and I heard the small clock in this lounge start to chime midnight.

"Merry Christmas to you too Shane" I said. He than hugged me.

"Do you know what I wanted for Christmas?" he whispered into my ear.

"I think you said you wanted an elephant," I said, he just laughed.

"That would be cool, but no I wanted you to forgive me" he than pulled away " and you did" his smile was huge. I smiled back, knowing I had put it there.


End file.
